Young Architect To Design Golf Clubhouse For Olympics

A view of a current course in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil prior to the start of the LPGA Brazil Cup at the Itanhanga Golf Club on May 2, 2012.

RIO DE JANEIRO -- An architect who is the grandson of a Brazilian Olympic medalist has been selected to design the clubhouse of the golf course for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Pedro Evora is the 34-year-old grandson of Affonso Evora, a point guard on the Brazilian men's basketball team that won the bronze medal in 1948.

Pedro Evora's design beat more than 50 projects that entered the bidding process, which was open to young architects who graduated in the last 15 years.

A large veranda showcasing the lush tropical landscape of Barra da Tijuca, combining an atmosphere of conviviality with nature -- in the spirit of Rio -- defines the character of the winning project.

"It's an open space, with full contact with nature, integrated with the landscape of Barra," Evora said. "Those who play and who attend will have a unique experience, one that could only be experienced here."

Fellow Brazilian Pedro Rivera is a co-author of the project.

In attendance when the announcement was made earlier this week was Carlos Arthur Nuzman , the chief executive of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee.

"We wished to showcase Brazilian culture and to give this opportunity to our country's young architects," Nuzman said. "They've come up with projects that honor and make Brazilian architecture proud. I'm delighted with the result."

For Sergio Magalhaes, who coordinated the competition, the high standard of the competition proved that the decision to opt for young architects was right.

"The terms of reference or, in other words, what the customer wanted done, were clear and high level, facilitating the development of projects," Magalhaes said. "Of the 57 submitted, 40 were approved in the first round, which demonstrates the high level of the pool. To offer this opportunity to young Brazilians proved to be an excellent choice."

American Gil Hanse will design the course, which will mark golf's return to the Olympics after more than 100 years.